Various types of cooking devices are known in the art. Specifically, various types of grills are known. In one type of grill, the food is placed on a grilling surface, grilling the side of the food that contacts the grilling surface. After that side of the food is cooked, the food is manually turned or flipped to cook the opposite side. After the second side of the food is cooked, the food is removed from the grill for further preparation and/or serving.
In another type of grill, two-sided cooking is accomplished simultaneously. Such grills are commonly known as clamshell grills and have upper and lower cooking platens that are horizontally opposed for contacting the two sides of a food item simultaneously to thereby cook both sides simultaneously.
For proper performance, the two grilling surfaces should be parallel to each other so that each surface uniformly contacts and cooks the associated side of the food item that contacts a respective platen cooking surface.
A need exists for a device and method for determining whether the platens are in a parallel or substantially parallel orientation when in the cooking position. In addition, a need exists for an automated clamshell-type grill that is capable of identifying food product types.